Genesis 36:39 kjv

And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

Genesis 36:39 nkjv

And when Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pau. His wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

Genesis 36:39 niv

When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

Genesis 36:39 esv

Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

Genesis 36:39 nlt

When Baal-hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king in his place and ruled from the city of Pau. His wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred and granddaughter of Me-zahab.

Genesis 36 verses

Genesis 36 39 Meaning

Genesis 36:39 meticulously records the succession within the Edomite monarchy, identifying Hadar's death and Hadad's enthronement. It further details Hadad's capital city, Pau, and particularly highlights the noble lineage of his wife, Mehetabel, by naming her mother Matred and her grandmother Mezahab. This verse concludes a specific list of eight kings who reigned over Edom prior to any monarch reigning in Israel, marking a significant historical detail in the developing narrative of nations descended from Abraham.

Genesis 36 39 Context

Genesis chapter 36 is primarily a detailed genealogical record of Esau, Jacob's twin brother, who is also known as Edom. It meticulously traces his descendants, their geographical settlements in the hill country of Seir, and their chieftaincies and monarchies. This chapter serves as a distinct break in the narrative focused on Jacob's lineage, providing the lineage of the sibling nation. Verse 39 concludes a specific list of eight Edomite kings presented in Gen 36:31-39, noted particularly because these kings reigned "before any king reigned over the Israelites." This historical detail underscores Edom's earlier establishment as a centralized kingdom compared to Israel, which would later ask for a king. The detailed accounting of kings, cities, and royal wives (even their maternal lineage) emphasizes the significance of such records for identity, legitimacy, and historical standing in the ancient Near East.

Genesis 36 39 Word analysis

• וַיָּמָת הֲדָר֙ (va-ya-mot Ha-dar): "and Hadar died."
  • Hadar: This is the name of the king. Its root may relate to "splendor" or "magnificence." The simple declaration of death signifies the end of one reign, a common marker in historical records to establish chronological succession.
  • וַיָּמָת (va-ya-mot): The 'vav-consecutive' with the imperfect verb marks a sequence of events, stating his death plainly and leading directly to the next action.
• וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ תַּחְתָּ֖יו הֲדָ֑ד (va-yim-loch tach-tav Ha-dad): "and Hadad reigned in his place."
  • Hadad: A very common royal name in the Ancient Near East, sometimes associated with the Semitic storm god Hadad/Adad. Its prevalence suggests its power and legitimacy as a name fit for a king. This Hadad is distinct from later Edomite Hadads mentioned (e.g., in 1 Kings).
  • וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ (va-yim-loch): "and he reigned." This verb asserts the establishment of his rule, indicating a formal, perhaps inherited, transfer of power rather than an usurpation.
  • תַּחְתָּ֖יו (tach-tav): "in his place." Emphasizes orderly and legitimate succession from Hadar.
• וְשֵׁ֨ם עִיר֤וֹ פָּעוּ֙ (v-shem i-ro Pa-u): "and the name of his city was Pau."
  • Pau/Pai: This city served as Hadad's royal seat or capital. Identifying the king's city anchors his reign geographically and politically, reinforcing the kingdom's organized structure. The exact location is debated among scholars, possibly in southern Jordan near Petra.
• וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּת־מֵי זָהָֽב׃ (v-shem ish-to Me-hei-tav-el bat Mat-red bat Mei Za-hav): "and the name of his wife was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab."
  • Mehetabel: "God does good," or "God causes to live/thrive." The meaning of her name is inherently positive, a characteristic often found in names given in ancient cultures reflecting hopes or divine connection.
  • Matred: Her mother's name. The Hebrew root may relate to "expulsion" or "rain" (from yarad, to descend), though the exact meaning here in this proper noun is speculative. Its inclusion highlights her lineage.
  • Mezahab: "Waters of gold" or "gold waters." Her grandmother's name, often understood as a prominent matriarch or ancestor from whom royal legitimacy or significant tribal connection could derive. This explicit dual maternal lineage (daughter of X, daughter of Y) is quite unusual in Biblical genealogies for a non-Israelite king's wife, indicating a very high status or importance of her origin, perhaps even a matrilineal element in Edomite succession or land claims. This level of detail about a queen’s lineage signifies the strategic importance of royal marriages in forming alliances and consolidating power in ancient monarchies.

Genesis 36 39 Bonus section

The consistent listing of Edomite kings who reigned before Israel had a king (Gen 36:31) serves several purposes in the wider biblical narrative. Firstly, it subtly emphasizes God's providence in raising up nations according to His plan, demonstrating that the chosen people (Israel) are part of a larger, divinely ordered world. Secondly, it pre-empts any notion that Israel was unique in its early governmental structure; rather, it highlights their eventual distinctiveness in desiring a king 'like all the nations' (1 Sam 8:5), a desire God both granted and disciplined. The specific detail of the queen's lineage in verse 39, rather than being superfluous, signifies the deep importance of matriarchal lines in determining social standing, claims to power, or territorial rights in ancient societies, especially those with nomadic roots transitioning to settled kingship. This shows the writer's intimate knowledge of the cultures neighboring Israel.

Genesis 36 39 Commentary

Genesis 36:39 closes a remarkable section documenting the kings of Edom, establishing their organized state and monarchical system before Israel would eventually call for its own king (1 Sam 8:5). This chronological precedence underlines God's sovereign oversight of all nations, not just Israel, and affirms the historical reality of Edom as an established kingdom. The detailed nature of the entry—not just listing the king and his successor but also his capital and, unusually, the extended maternal lineage of his queen (Mehetabel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab)—speaks volumes. This unique mention of the queen's grandmother underscores the significance of her lineage for political legitimacy, tribal alliances, or even land claims, revealing the intricate socio-political structures of Edomite royalty. It also points to the value placed on meticulous record-keeping in the ancient Near East, whether for historical preservation or demonstrating a divine ordering of peoples. This final entry on the pre-Israelite kings emphasizes that Edom, the progeny of Esau, while distinct from Jacob's descendants, nevertheless developed as a prominent and structured nation under divine providence.